Demons
by Jessibelle811
Summary: Inuyasha and Kagome have a fight where he leaves her to walk home alone. When she doesn't arrive he goes looking for her and finds that not all demons look like demons, and not all humans are worth saving. Inu/Kag
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or its characters, nor am I being paid for this work.

A/N: Story is rated M for language, violence and sexual situations. This chapter is mostly language.

_**Demons: Chapter one**_

The leaves around him swayed with the breeze. Rough bark bit into his back while he sat high up in the crux of the ancient tree. His foot tapped impatiently.

_Where was she!_

He'd only left her minutes ago, a deliberate punishment to her constant disregard. Let her walk home alone, he wasn't going to stand by and take her abuse.

He scowled down at the temple's entrance. He didn't like being in this time; There were too many caustic scents and sounds. He lost track of Kagome just a block after he left her, the heavy smell of car exhaust muddling his senses. It was petty of him to leave her behind, but with his face still stinging from a recent 'Oswari!' he was somehow too disinterested to care. The soft, bare ground of his time allowed some merciful give when the enchantment slammed him face first into the dirt, but here the concrete streets were not as forgiving.

True, he often spoke without thinking, and sometimes he came off sounding insulting or arrogant, but that was no reason for her to abuse the power of that damn subduing spell.

A crescent moon rose high above, darkness falling thick around him. He scented the air and found no sign of her. This time didn't have demons to worry about; Surely she was safe walking the five blocks to her house.

So, why wasn't she here yet?

Inuyasha jumped down from his tree and walked under the arch atop the temple stairs. Cars sped along the street below, but few people walked past. None of them were Kagome. He scented the air again, sneezing from a nose full of toxic, chemical smells. There was no trace of her on the breeze and he began to worry.

It took only moments to cover the ground from the temple to the cracked concrete where he'd left her. Again no sign, except the dying whisper of her scent, already a half an hour old; Right around the time he took off. On all fours he searched the area to trace her scent trail, but there was nothing except the older traces from the direction they had come. She hadn't double-backed.

He growled in frustrated confusion. It was as if she'd vanished into the very air. His fist came down on the concrete, creating another spider's web of cracks.

A garbage bin shuddered in the adjacent alleyway. His sharpened eye sight zeroed in. In the darkness he saw the outline of a small person cowering by the wall. Faster than human eyes, he was there, lifting the street urchin up by the collar. The poor boy's feet dangling a foot off the ground. The kid couldn't be older than ten, maybe eleven.

"Where is she?" The hanyou growled, giving the frightened boy a hard shake.

He whimpered in response, but something behind his eyes said that Inuyasha wasn't the only thing he was afraid of. Remembering that humans of this era were not used to seeing demons, Inuyasha tried to be a bit calmer.

"There was a girl here, not long ago. Dark hair, white and green clothing. What happened to her?"

Gulping for air, the urchin seemed to find his voice, "No way, man! I'm not telling you nothin'. They'll kill me!"

Forgetting his intentions to remain calm, Inuyahsa brought the boy in until the tip of his grubby nose was almost touching the hanyou's. His eyes flashed deadly gold. "I'll kill you if you don't."

The boy weighed his options, and came up empty either way. "It was a van. White, all scuffed up. I saw the guys that grabbed her. They were definitely Frakie's guys."

"Fran-kee?" Inuyasha struggled with the foreign name.

"Guy's an American. Came here to peddle the flesh trade. American business men pay top dollar for young girls. Find 'um exotic and shit. Frankie, he's got guys workin' for him. They scout out young girls they think the customers 'ill like. They find a girl walkin' alone, they snatch her."

The hanyou felt his stomach turn. He'd been wrong before, these men had to be demons. Humans wouldn't do this. Would they? The image of Kagome pinned under the weight of some sweating, fat shogun appeared all too clear in his mind. He swore he could even smell her tears.

"Where do they take these girls?" His voice was beginning to break on panic.

"Downtown, the slums. They got a house they take new girls. Tony, that's Frankie's right hand man, he likes to break the girls himself." The silver haired man seemed confused by his words, so he tried a different way. "See, the customers, they don't like to think they're raping some young kid. Think they're too upper class or some shit. And these girls aren't exactly in this business willingly, so they got to be trained. Got to be broken first."

The meaning began to dawn in Inuyasha's mind. His Kagome was far too spirited to just lie back and accept such a fate. She'd fight, and be punished until she finally stopped fighting. She'd probably be dead by then.

How much time had passed? How fast did these things happen? He had to hurry.

"You will show me the way." he told the boy.

"Fuck, no, man! You're fuckin' crazy. Those guys 'ill kill you and then come after me for helpin' you."

"I wasn't asking. I was telling." He flung the boy onto his back, carrying him like he usually carried Kagome. "Which way?"

"Ah, shit," the kid whispered. "I'm so fuckin' dead." He pointed out in front of them, leading back into the city. The hanyou took off in that direction.

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><p>Life on the city streets had made Kiyo a skeptical boy. Only eleven, he'd seen and done some dark things. His crimes ran mostly in the theft department, only enough to stay alive, but the back alleys and street subjected all its inhabitants to a violent life. Most of the urban inhabitants never knew such corruption existed in their peaceful city.<p>

The Higurashi family certainly never made any mention of such condemnable acts existing behind the backdrop of quite urban life. Inuyasha never imagined Kagome's time was so dangerous. Unlike the feudal era, they were no demons, no wars, no famine; He never suspected what other putridfications had been born in their places.

He followed the boy's directions and took note as the tall stone structures began to thin and crumble the farther they traveled. New scents filled the air, each as horrid as the last. The scent of decaying garbage was the most prevalent. Rats scurried freely in alleyways, dumpsters over flowed with refuse. Some buildings held distinctly chemical smells. When he questioned the boy he received strange answers. The boy called these buildings "drug houses".

"We're almost there," Kiyo yelled over the whistling of wind in his ears. This strange man ran faster than anyone he had ever met. The long silver hair and fuzzy ears were strange as well. He'd never seen anyone, in the city or the suburbs, that looked like this guy. The intense look in his eyes had Kiyo convinced at first that he was some raver junkie. One of those club kids who dressed up in elaborate costumes and decorated their bodies with layers of accessories. Or maybe one of those furrries, people who got off by dressing up like an animal. That had to be it.

"Oy, Boy. You sure know a lot about this bastard and his business. Why?"

"I'm an orphan, living on the street. Some times I run errands for Frankie to make some cash. Plus, it's the only way," he paused for a moment. "It's the only way to see my sister. She was taken 'bout three months ago. I heard she's one of Tony's favorites, so he don't let her got to work for the clients. He..." Kiyo had to swallow the taste of bile in his throat at the thought of what his sister endured. "He keeps her to himself. She's only fourteen," he finished in a horrified whisper.

Inuyasha felt his anger flair. His mind couldn't comprehend the repugnance of the situation. Young girls barely out of puberty made sex slaves at the whim of some sick bastard's greed. He ran faster, till the air burned in his lungs. He couldn't let anything happen to Kagome. He'd die before he let one of those filthy men lay a hand one her.

It came as a cold shock to realize that in a way, they already had. They had been able to take her because he wasn't there. He left her alone and failed in his promise to always protect her.

Never again.

"That the one, right up there."

Inuyasha was broken out of his thoughts. His eyes followed the direction of Kiyo's out stretched hand. It led to a three story building, blackened by age. Several windows were broken, but all had thick bars caging them. Two men lounged on the front stoop, smoking cigarettes. Each had some strange shiny object pushed into the waist band of their pants.

Inuyasha stopped in the alley way across from the house. He wanted to gag from the stench. The air was thick with human sweat and sex. It was laced with strange chemical agents, some vaguely medicinal. Most likely some manner of sedative.

"I don't know these guys," Kiyo motioned the two men guarding the door. "But all Frankie's guys got pieces. You'll never get in, an if you do, you'll never get out alive."

The hanyou looked down at the boy. His eyes pled for Inuyasha not to go. The hanyou turned away, to face the front of the dark building. "Your sister."

Kiyo looked at his back, puzzled.

"What's your sister's name?"

"Saiyo."

"Wait here. I'll come back."

Kiyo watched horrified as the strange man with the pale hair stepped across the street, and walked right up to the front steps. The two guards merely laughed as they eyed him up and down.

"What the fuck is this?" One man sneered, showing a mouth full of yellow teeth. "Yo, buddy, it ain't Halloween and you ain't trick 'er treaten', so I suggest you fuck off."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. These men were human and that posed a problem. He was not in the business of killing humans.

"Didn't you hear me," the man with the ugly teeth was starting to get angry. "I said get the fuck outta here before I have ta beat ya to death for being a goddamn moron. Can you fuckin' believe this guy?" He motioned to his companion, who merely studied Inuyasha with open animosity.

"Where's Kagome?" He kept his voice flat, and deceptively calm.

The man flicked his cigarette to the ground, growling in anger. "I see. You're one of them guys. Looking for some free pussy. Look we don't service your kind here. Fuckin' freak."

Now those words Inuyasha had heard before. In a moment he was on the man, rendering him unconscious with a blow that nearly took his head off. His companion was quicker to reach for his weapon. Inuyasha turned in time to feel the burning heat of something grazing his shoulder. He grabbed the wound, surprised by how intensely the pain radiated from such a small injury. His hand curled around the barrel of the man's weapon before the man could fire again while he used the other to cold cock the man upside his head. The thug slumped bonelessly on the stairs.

Pounding of footsteps from inside headed his way. He quickly unsheathed Tessaiga and rushed into the darkness of the building.

* * *

><p>AN: Reviews are always appreciated. Let me know what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Slight warning: This chapter in particular could be considered M for themes of sexual abuse, violence and swearing.

A reviewer asked if I got the idea for this fic from the movie Taken. Actually, No, I didn't, but I can see the similarities. This fic has been languishing on my computer for about 5 years, so before that movie came out. I just wanted to write a believable set up to the whole "Kagome gets kidnapped/ almost raped/ raped/ Inuyasha comes to her rescue" scenario. This story started as a one-shot excuse to write a lemon and took on a life of its own. I do enjoy the movie Taken, though. Kind of wish it was on Netflix for instant download right now.

What this story was inspired by was an image of Inuyasha with blood spattered across his face. You'll see why in this chapter. The link to the image is on my profile.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of its characters. This document is for entertainment purposes only and I am in no way being compensated for this work. Except it gives me great pleasure to write it.

Demons - Chapter 2

Sensations began to return in pieces. First was her sense of smell, rudely awakened by the stench of urine and sweat. The feeling of a damp mattress beneath her was not a comfort either. The next thing to dawn on her was the splitting pain of her head. Her numb fingers managed to find their way to an unhealthy lump at the base of her skull.

She tried to remember, but her mind was so fuzzy. She remembered that she was in her own time and that she'd been with Inuyasha. They were walking back from her school. That's right, he'd come to find her, mad that she took so long studying in the library. It was nearly dark when they set out for her house. They'd argued about something stupid, like always. She'd over-reacted and "oswarii"-ed him in the middle of the street and he left in an angry huff.

But what happened next? It was jumbled in her memory. She had tried to call after him, to apologize, but he was already gone. She stood on the street for a few minutes, waiting to see if he'd return. When he didn't she sighed and began walking back alone. But then there was a car, no, a van. It came to an abrupt stop beside her. A man sat in the driver's seat, while two more threw open the side door. One grabbed her and pulled her inside before she could register what was happening. She tried calling for Inuyasha, but there was a hand over her mouth. The door slammed shut, they were moving. She panicked and bit the hand silencing her. A man cursed in pain. The other man moved to strike her, but she brought her foot up to connect with the under side of his jaw. She was allowed only a small smile of pride before a hard, heavy object collided with the base of her skull, sending her straight into unconsciousness.

A cold sweat broke out over her body. She'd been kidnapped by strange men and had no idea where she was. Finally her vision cleared enough to look around. The room was dim, the only source of pale light shined in from the street lamp outside. Judging from the angle, she was at least two or three floors up.

She tried to sit up, but the shifting movement sent her aching head into a spin. Her stomach fought the urge to wretch. When the bile in the back of her throat receded, she managed to rise up on an elbow and get a better look around. There were bars over the windows, thick and too close together for even a child to squeeze through. The floor was as filthy as the mattress, both mottled with stains. She didn't want to even guess at their origins.

In a vain hope, she managed to hobble over to the door only to find it predictably locked. She tried the window. Outside the sky line showed just far enough away to be only a faint hope. The neighborhood was unfamiliar, and didn't look the type to be filled with helpful do-gooders that would run to her rescue if she called out for help. In fact the streets seemed deserted except for two men lounging on the front stoop, smoking.

Tears threatened to fill her eyes, as fear gripped her. Inuyasha must have figured out by now that she was missing. Unless, ah gods, unless he'd gone back to the feudal era without her. If he were that mad, it would take days before his stubbornness finally gave way and he'd come back for her. But even if he'd only gone to her house, the city was an alien place for him, he didn't know his way around and the myriad of smells reeked havoc on his nose. Her scent could be lost in the miasma .

Inuyasha.

Her heart cried the name, but her mind knew it was hopeless. Even with his best intentions, it was likely that he'd never find her in time to prevent the horrors lay in store for her.

As if timed by some sick sense of irony, the rusty door knob squealed in protest as the door swung open. The bulk of a man filled the narrow frame. His face was marred in several places by thick scars, a testimony to a hard life of fighting. He pulled a cigar away from his thick lips, the end wet with saliva. His face reminded her vaguely of a catfish, only uglier. He was distinctly un-Japanese. His head was shaved, a dark tattoo stood out on the right side of his skull. A least six feet in height, his bulk was pushing upwards of three-hundred pound, mostly muscle. His age was hard to determine, judging by the wrinkles round his squinting eyes she'd say somewhere near forty.

Kagome cowered back by the window, wanting as much distance between them as possible.

The man stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. He was swallowed by the shadows. Kagome edged away from the window, letting the light reach to its fullest extent across the small room. He was no more than a dark outline against the far wall.

"Ain't you the sweetest lil' thing," he purred. "Boys did real good with you. Maybe if they're lucky I'll let 'um have a taste. After Tony's finished with you, that is." He jammed the cigar back in his mouth and moved towards her. She realized that he was Tony.

Terror clawed its way up her body as the situation began to dawn on her. She was going to be raped, repeatedly by the sound of things. He closed in on her as she frantically scanned for any kind of weapon. The room was bare except for the mattress and its metal frame. It looked unfortunately solid.

"Don't bother fighten'. Wouldn't want to mess up that purdy mug of yours."

Kagome tried to dodge his hands, but he managed to grab both her arms. She was unceremoniously thrown onto the stinking mattress. It sagged under the weight as he pressed himself over her. Reality kicked back in and she began to fight him in earnest. Her hands scrambled to find any area of weakness.

"Stupid bitch," he muttered. He brought the back of his hand across her cheek, making her head spin.

Her vision blackened for a moment. She felt the painful press of his chest on hers. Her arms would be bruised later, as well as several other places.

Her hands pushed against his chest like a weak, nervous creatures. "Get off me!" She screamed, but it didn't faze him one bit.

He was reaching for his belt when the unmistakable crack of gun fire went off outside the building. Tony's head snapped up, looking towards the window. The silence that followed seemed to aggravate him more. Frustrated, he managed to pull his bulk away from her and lumber over to the window. Outside the street was still empty. He looked down. The boys guarding the door sat slumped against the stairs. One had his gun lying leisurely in his lap. He never should have given that bonehead a gun. "You two knock that shit off down there!"

Kagome saw her opportunity. She vaulted off the bed and sprinted for the door. She cried out is dismay to find it still locked. Her head exploded in pain as Tony grabbed a fistful of her hair and slammed her up against the wall. Her vision grayed. Thrown back on the bed, she began to cry.

"Please, don't."

He was in no way swayed to pity by her pleading. She became vividly aware when his hands tried to pry her legs opened. She kicked and bucked at him, but was rewarded by his thumb pressed sharply into a pressure point high on her thigh. Her leg fell dead, numbed to all sensation. She panicked, realizing that she couldn't move it.

One meaty hand held her wrists above her head while the other was under her skirt, yanking the waist band of her underwear down. He seemed to have a lot of practice, as her undergarments were slipped down and off her legs with precise ease. She felt raw and exposed, her short skirt barely covering her. He unceremoniously shoved a hand between her legs, probing her with a grubby finger. She cried out because his intrusion burned her dry sex. Mercifully he removed his hand from her, but only to work at unlatching his belt.

She nearly vomited at the simple sound of his zipper coming down. Even through his pants she could feel the turgid weight of his arousal against her thigh.

She began to break down completely. All she could manage to say was, "No, please, no. Inuyasha, please."

"For fuck's sake, would you SHUT UP! " He raised his hand, this time in a fist.

Kagome cringed, waiting for the blow. The door was suddenly kicked open. Tony's looked up to see the distinct silhouette of a teenage boy. It was hard to decide what was stranger: The vibrantly red yet ancient robes that he wore, the white animal ears atop his head, or the fine spray of blood that spattered his livid features.

Tony only made it half way through asking, "Who the fuck are you?" before the boy was on him, physically pulling him off the girl and throwing him effortlessly against the opposite wall.

It took a moment for Kagome to register what was happening. Cringing for the impact of the thug's fist, she was surprised and relieved to feel his weight suddenly lifted off her. The loud thud of something colliding with the wall brought her eyes to focus on what was happening.

"Inuyasha!" She cried, tears of relief stinging her eyes. He was here, she was safe now.

Inuyasha didn't have time to react to Kagome's relieved cry. Tony was getting to his feet, shaking his head to clear away the spots dancing before his eyes. He spat out a mouthful of blood. His mind tried to connect how a boy half his size managed to throw him like a rag doll.

The boy stood between him and the girl. She seemed deliriously happy to see him. Tony'd had to deal with these things before. Angry brothers and boyfriends who managed to track the girls down to here. Though none had ever made it here this fast, or put up such an impressive fight. Where the hell were the rest of the guys working in this place? How the fuck did the kid get all the way up here and still have all his limbs intact?

It didn't matter, because the kid was going to be dead in a few moments. His pants around his ankles, Tony found his gun, usually kept in his back pocket, on the floor by his feet. He scrambled to get it, while the kid reached for the hilt of his sword. Tony couldn't believe his eyes. The kid honestly meant to fight him with some goddamn ancient sword. He began to laugh, but stopped.

There was no other word for it, the sword literally transformed in the kid's hand. He easily held the curved blade that was over four feet in length and a foot wide. A nasty growl, like a dog's, rumbled in the boy's chest. Who was this freak?

Kagome shrieked to see the thug raising his gun. Inuyasha didn't know much about guns and he certainly didn't know that the guns of her time worked much faster and more accurate than the rough prototypes of his era.

The crack of gun fire was deafening. The bullet ricochet off the flat blade of Tessaiga and embedded itself in the ceiling. Tony continued to fire, but the Inuyasha was faster, wielding his fang with practiced ease. Tony aimed wildly in panic. Inuyasha used his body as a shield between the weapon and Kagome. One bullet made it passed his defenses and buried deep into the muscle of his lower left side. He hissed in pain, but remained standing.

Tony couldn't believe what he was witnessing. His finger continued to reflexively pull the trigger, but all that happened was a hollow click. Out of ammo and options, the hanyou moved in. Crimson bled into his eyes as his demon rose to the surface, even with Tessaiga still in hand. He wanted nothing more than to bath in this human's blood. To sink Tessaiga deep into the man's entrails. But the muffled whimper of the girl behind him calmed his bloodlust.

Later.

He had to get Kagome out first. Reluctantly, he re-sheathed his sword. The man came at him, more nimble on his feet than most men his size. Inuyasha never flinched as Tony's meaty right fist collided with his cheek.

Tony took a step back. Not only did the guy not move but he was smiling. A chilling smile that showed a neat row of pointed fangs.

"My turn," Inuyasha growled. The blow that sent Tony down to the floor was punctuated by the wet crack of his neck breaking. The three-hundred pound body fell, his head twisted at a sickening angle.

Kagome looked down at the body, knowing instantly that the man was dead. She was shaking, too in shock to feel remorse or pity. But, it was clear that she wasn't horrified by what Inuyasha was done. A small dark part of her was fiercely grateful.

He wrapped his haori around her before gather her tiny frame up into his arms. They left the room and headed for the stairs.

"Wait, Inuyasha. There might be more people here. They may need help."

"They're already safe. I took care of it." Kagome didn't want to ask if he had taken care of the other men in the same way he had her attacker. For the first time she noticed the crimson drops that speckled his face and neck. She lowered her gaze.

Suddenly, Inuyasha stopped. A door opened at the back of the hallway. He turned to find a pair of large, frightened eyes looking out from under a stringy mop of dirty brown hair.

"Where's Tony?" The girl was even younger than Kagome.

"Are you Saiyo?" Kagome looked up at him in question. How did he know someone in her time?

The tiny nodding of her head was the only answer. She was so frail her bones jutted out from her collar.

"Your brother is waiting outside. Tony's not going to bother you anymore." She didn't move, a skeptical gleam in her pale blue eyes. Inuyasha turned back to the stairwell, simply commanding her to follow. "Come."

Outside they passed the two guards, still lying on the stair. Kagome couldn't tell if they were alive or dead. At that moment, she didn't care. Four other girls stood huddled in the alleyway across the street, a young boy stood in their midst. Inuyasha watched the tender reunion of brother and sister. Saiyo cried from happiness and embraced Kiyo like a drowning woman clings to a life raft.

"Oy, boy," Kiyo looked up in amazement to see Inuyasha return alive. "Can you get them to some place safe? One of your medicine buildings."

"You mean a hospital? Yeah, I got it covered. That your friend?" He motioned the bundle in Inuyasha's arms.

For the first time the hanyou noticed that the miko had fallen into unconsciousness, probably from exhaustion.

"I hope she's okay." The simple concern in Kiyo's eyes was genuine. Inuyasha gave him a brief nod. He would never let something like this happen to his Kagome ever again.

Inuyasha lead the group as far as the main road, a block from the hospital entrance. Kiyo waved good-bye and several of the girls cried tearful thank-you's, grateful to finally be free. Saiyo suggested they take Kagome into the hospital as well, but Inuyasha staunchly refused. He had a new distrust of all humans of this world, including their synthetic medicines. He would take her away from this place. When she awoke Kagome didn't need to be accosted by strangers in the glaring sterile whiteness of modern medicine. She needed real treatment by someone she trusted.

* * *

><p>He leapt through the woods, passing Goshinboku on the way to the village. Kagome was still unconscious, but her body started to shake uncontrollably before they even reached the well. Her fingers knotted in his under shirt, cold and bloodless to the touch. He ran faster.<p>

* * *

><p>The small fire provided more than adequate warmth for the little hut, especially when it was joined by the collective heat of three grown bodies and two little demons.<p>

Shippo and Kirara curled together by the fire pit, yawning. Kaede slowly stirred the broken bits of wood with a poker. Dinner finished and the night thick around them, Miroku and Sango rolled out the futons for them to sleep. The peaceful scene was only disturbed by a punctuated slap. Miroku wandered back over to his side of the hut holding his stinging cheek.

"I hope Inuyasha brings Kagome back tomorrow," Shippo yawned and snuggled deeper into the cat demon's fur. It wasn't the same as when he slept beside Kagome, wrapped safe in her motherly embrace.

Miroku sank down, sitting crossed legged on his futon. "They were supposed to return tonight. I wonder what kept them."

Sango nodded in solemn agreement. Inuyasha would never let anything happen to Kagome, but there was an ominous presence in the air. Not the malice of a demon, but a general sense of unease.

Kaede bowed her wizen head, troubled. Out of the solemn silence arose the patter of running feet. Their eyes turned towards the door, expectant. Probably a villager in need of medical assistance from the local priestess.

The woven reed mat that hung across the doorway fluttered open. Kaede's squinted eye widened. The sudden appearance of the hanyou, absent of his usual blazed red haori, his face and hair caked with blood, was not as shocking as the shuttering bundled cradled possessively to his chest. Wrapped so thoroughly in his coat, only the peek of dirty white ankle socks gave away the identity of the girl he carried.

"Kagome!" It was Shippo who first cried out in dismay to see his guardian in such a state.

The others sat frozen as Inuyasha tenderly laid his charge down on Kaede's open futon. Devoid of his reassuring warmth, Kagome whimpered and curled deeper into herself, dragging his haori tighter around her. Only the tips of her feet, her shoes had been lost long ago in her struggle in the van, and the glossy crown of her ebony head shown outside the blanket of red.

Inuyasha's gaze pierced the older priestess. He vaguely heard Sango's worried inquirers for an explanation. He ignored them. "Take care of her."

It was a command, not a request.

Kaede nodded, her face hardening in promise. Inuyasha turned and left as quickly as he had come. The emotion swirling in his golden eyes shocked the old woman. Long after he turned away she could still see the haunted mist behind his gaze. That and a fierce desire, one to kill.

As Miroku rose to follow him, no one protested.

Miroku ran. He was panting and out of breath by the time he caught up to the enraged half-demon by the ancient well. Inuyasha was already posed to jump in.

"Where are you going?" The monk collapsed, bent over with his hands on his knees for support. His breath was harsh in his throat.

"Back." The answer was clipped and succinct. No room for argument.

Miroku was at a loss. "But...Why?"

A harsh growl ripped through the hanyou. Miroku took and unconscious step back, away from the growling demon.

Inuyasha jumped over the weathered edge of the time traveling well. One word was tossed back in reply before the magical blue light engulfed, and swallowed him. The teeming emotion in that one word made the houshi shiver.

"Revenge."

A/N: Reviews are always welcome. I'm going to try to update a chapter a week, but I can't promise anything.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Sorry for the long delay in updating. I had three incredibly busy weeks. Thank you for your patience.

_**Demons - Chapter 3**_

The world, in both eras, thrived on shades of gray. There is no black and white. No absolute right and wrong. There is only dark and darker. Right now Inuyasha felt about as dark as he ever had. This feeling was worse than when his demon blood took over his control, worse than all those years ago when he believed Kikyo betrayed him. Worse even than his hatred for Naraku.

His found his way back by scent and found his gray area. He didn't kill humans, but he already had. He didn't kill innocents, none of these men were. He killed demons.

And now he killed bad men.

He felt a little piece of his humanity chip away to realize it, but then again, he wasn't human.

It was over quickly. A part of him twisted to think it was quicker than he would have liked. The men were conscious by the time he returned and they were mad. And now they were dead.

Simple. And not simple at all.

The truth and the guilt would catch up tomorrow. But that was later. He rushed back to the feudal era, more blood on him then when he left.

While he was gone Kagome awoke but remained curled where he left her. She wouldn't respond to the soft insistencies of Kaede to drink down an herbal healing tea, nor Sango's patient questioning. Her only movement was to offer Shippo a shaky smile that never reached her eyes.

Her body hid as much of itself as it could under the fire rat robe as she inhaled his rich, calming scent and awaited his return.

When he strode through the door for the second time that night, he looked far more menacing than the first time. His eyes never spared a glance for the rest of the room. He grabbed her bag, then her and turned to leave.

"Inuyasha," Kaede held out a familiar jar, a healing ointment he'd used may times on his own injuries. He dropped the jar in Kagome's bag and left, leaving their silent friends behind.

It was warm that night. He set her down beside the hot spring, along with her things.

"Can you sit?" She nodded and pushed herself up.

He dipped the corner of her towel in the warm water and meticulously washed the grim and tears from her face. He looked so serious in his task, she couldn't look away. Her eyes traced the crimson patterns sprayed over his face and hair. She winced when he touched her cheek, already purple and aching.

"Are there others?" It took a moment for her mind to come back to the present.

"Injuries," he said. "Are there others?"

"Nothing serious," she whispered. "My leg hurts."

He looked down to see the deep purple edge of a bruise high on her thigh disappearing under her skirt.

"Kaede's ointment will help." He cleared his throat, unsure. This was far from the ferocious boy who'd broken down the door of that room. "I'm sure you want to bathe."

Panic rose up as he turned to leave her in privacy. Her fingers clutched his sleeve, desperate and strong. "Don't leave me, not again."

A dark guilt rose in him. This was his fault, because he'd left her.

"Stay with me, please." Tears began to stream down her cheeks. "I don't want to be alone."

Two forces waived within him, the desperate instinctual need to protect her and the cresting wave of self-loathing that repeated that he had failed when she needed him.

He stayed, not because he forgave himself, but because he would not allow another opportunity for her to be taken away. From now on he would keep her always in his sight, or at least with in the bounds of his other senses.

He sank down beside her in a crouch and gently peeled her hand away from his robe. Holding it in his own hands, he soothed her. "I'll stay right here. I'm not going to leave you alone."

* * *

><p>Once bathed Kagome was reluctant to put her old clothes back on. She hadn't properly packed for a return trip to the feudal era and Inuyasha had grabbed her bag as-is when he brought her through the well. Thankfully she kept her soap and shampoo packed at all times. She wanted desperately to wash off the feeling of filth on her skin.<p>

She'd scrubbed herself red with the soap and washed her hair three times before she was satisfied that the scent of that place was gone. She couldn't smell it, but she knew Inuyasha could.

Now that she was as clean as commercial detergents could get her, she needed a clean set of clothes. Inuyasha's haori lay on the ground where she dropped it to undress. She glanced furtively at his back. He sat dutiful on guard only a few feet from the spring, his back to her to afford her privacy. She hoped he wouldn't mind but she needed the comfort of his scent, so she wrapped his coat around her naked, cold body.

When she told him it was alright, he turned back around, showing a carefully guarded reaction to her outfit. While she applied ointment to her bruises, he washed his hands and face in the spring. This wasn't like the time with the bandits. He was methodical and composed, carefully washing all traces of blood from under each claw.

"You have blood in your hair." She said these words as calmly as commenting on the weather.

"Here." She came over to him, carrying her bottle of shampoo. "Take off your shirt. I'll wash your hair."

His first reaction was one of refusal. He hated the smell of those cleansing chemicals, but when he looked at her the words died in his throat. She needed to be doing something. Something other than remembering.

He stripped off his under robe, which except for a spot or two on the collar, had escaped damage. She knelt beside him, cupping her hands and letting the water fall trough her finger to run through the strands of his hair. When she'd thoroughly wetted it all, she poured a dollop of soap between her palms. Careful of his ears, she slowly lathered the long, thick mass of silver.

Inuyasha began to feel warm and sleepy while she massaged his scalp. Kagome never touched him this familiarly unless under the intense stress of battle. The warm feeling dissolved. Had she not just endured a stress equal to any demon fight? Was she not still under going battle with the memory?

Rinsing his hair took a long time. The back of his hakama got soaked, but he didn't care so long as she had a task to keep her mind occupied.

Only belatedly he remembered the wound at his side. The burning projectile fired by the thug on the stairs had gone clean through, leaving bloody hole the diameter of his finger. The wound didn't bother him. He'd had far worse, but Kagome hissed when she was it and insisted on cleansing and bandaging it.

As she smoothed the last piece of medical tape down, she whispered, "Thank you, for saving me. If you hadn't come, they would have..."

Her hands began to shake. Inuyasha felt a hot lump of anger well inside his chest, that those men. Those dead men, he reminded himself. Could effect her so. He reached out to comfort her, but she turned away, busying her hands with repacking her bag.

"We should head back." She kept her gaze averted from his own as she headed for town.

Inuyasha frowned at her retreating back and followed.

* * *

><p>When they returned to the hut they found everyone carefully tucked into their beds. It was painfully obvious that no one was asleep, but Kagome appreciated their attempt to give her time. An empty futon lay at the base of the far wall. Inuyasha led her over, like a parent putting a small frightened child to bed. He unzipped her sleeping bag, knowing how after seeing her use the contraption often enough, and laid the blanket over her slightly shivering frame. Normally he would leave to sleep in Goshinboku, or sit cross legged in the far corner, several feet from any of his companions. Tonight he sat close enough that his leg brushed the top of Kagome's head. Despite her aversion leaving the spring, she was comforted to have him so close.<p>

She didn't want to sleep for fear that she would dream about what happened. But neither did she want to stay awake for fear of remembering. Despite her reservation exhaustion was pulling her down. She hoped her sleep would be dreamless.

* * *

><p>The police had already discovered the scene before he could send his boys to do clean up. Evidence was being collected at this very moment. Damning evidence.<p>

Francis "Frankie" Donahue sat in his Eames executive leather chair, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. It was well past normal office hours. The skyline outside his glass corner office was inky black. The Taikyokuken Security Company, while profitable, was just the legitimate front to his illegal enterprise. Publicly he contracted his goons out to politicians and minor celebrities as bodyguards. But having a couple guys follow an American pop star around to boutiques and dance clubs didn't fund his expensive lifestyle. He carved out a small corner of profit in the grand scheme of Japan's human trafficking ring. He kept out of the way of the Yakuza and off the turf of the Chinese. He stayed under the police radar by avoiding the entanglements of importing or exporting young girls. He kept his operation small, local and unobtrusive. The girls his employees stole off the street were largely unwanted and therefore went unreported. But lately Tony had gotten greedy, branching out into higher end neighborhoods.

Just this night he'd received a call from Tony saying they just got in a new girl. A fresh, young thing in a Masashi Junior High School uniform. That school was far too high class for the type of girls he dealt in. He gave Tony an earful, telling him he could keep this one, but from now on he was to stick to the poorer outskirts.

But now it didn't matter because Tony was dead. Along with six more of his best guys.

His hand tightened around a glass of 25 year old scotch. To say he was pissed would be an understatement. For a little over twelve years he'd built his small empire, being stringently careful that there be no discernable connection between the illegal and him. Over the years he'd grown complacent. No lowlife street thugs dared mess with him and his because he retaliated swiftly and without mercy. And the police could never pin any crimes on him no matter how closely they looked. Now he realized his vigilance had grown lax. His off-shore bank accounts and shell corporation should be enough to stave off the police for now, but he couldn't be sure how long they would hold.

The whole situation made him feel something he could only remember it had been so long: fear. And right below that fear was the bitter gall of rising anger. Someone did this to him. Someone was responsible for the unenviable position he'd been suddenly trust into. And someone was going to pay in slow, bloody retribution. He'd set an example so horrifying no one would dare touch a single person or thing associated with the name Frankie Donahue ever again.

The girls who escaped were of little concern. They knew nothing the police wouldn't be able to discover at the scene. It would be preferable if they could be silenced for good, but they couldn't be gotten to in time. If it came to legal proceeding then certain "witnesses" would simple disappear. Who he needed were the eyes and ears on the street; the ones that wouldn't talk to the police.

Frankie swirled the ice in the bottom of his glass, thoughtful. Tony had a favorite girl. A little waif of a thing, not at all to Frankie's taste. In fact Frankie didn't go in for the under aged shit. He made a habit not to sample his own product. But this girl was special to Tony. She had an annoying kid brother always begging to see her. Tony used to complain, asking Frankie's permission to make the little nuisance disappear for good.

The kid lived on the street. Heard things. Saw things.

Frankie took a long sip, relishing the slow burn of alcohol at the back of his throat. He'd start with the kid.

* * *

><p>AN: Reviews as always are appreciated. Below are just some random facts about this chapter:

I actually researched executive office chairs for Frankie's chair. The one I mentioned, the Eames Executive Chair is $3,619.

Taikyokuken means grand ultimate fist. I was going to use iron fist until I realized that's what Tekken means.

Musashi Junior High School is a real school in Tokyo. I don't know anything about it since their website is understandably in Japanese.


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